Chapter XXXVIII — Conclusion

 "Ben," said Mr. Baldwin, "let us talk over your plans.  Do you wish

 to remain at the store, or would you like to get a better education?"

"I would get a better education if I could afford it, sir."

 

"You can afford it on an income of a thousand dollars a year."

 

"A thousand dollars a year!" exclaimed Ben.

 

"That is the income I shall allow you. Out of this you will be expected to pay all of your expenses."

 

"How can I thank you, sir? Would you object to my giving Aunt Jane a part of the money?"

 

"Yes, I shall object."

 

Ben's countenance¹ fell.

 

"But, Uncle Matthew," he said, "I don't like to live in luxury, while Aunt Jane is straitened."

 

"Your feelings do you credit, my boy; but I mean to take care of your Aunt Jane myself. She is my niece, and you—I am not sure whether you are related to me at all, but I want you to call me Uncle Matthew all the same."

 

"I shall like to, sir. No uncle could be kinder."

 

"That is well," said the old gentleman. "You know, Ben, I have no one else to care for. Now, do you think your Aunt Jane will be willing to move to Boston?"

 

"I am sure she will like it."

 

"Then I shall hire or buy a comfortable house, install her as mistress, require you to live with me while you are attending school, and tyrannize over you all."

 

There was a bright smile on the old man's face. He was looking forward to the new life with anticipations² of a happiness and comfort which had long been strangers to him.

 

"How happy we shall all be, Uncle Matthew! Even Aunt Jane will forget to look on the dark side."

 

"I hope so, Ben. I think we can be happy together."

 

"There is one thing I forgot to tell you," he said later. "I shall expect you to pay your board out of your income, you know. If you fail to make regular payments, we shall have to bundle you out."

 

"I will remember," said Ben, smiling.

 

By arrangement Ben went up to Milltown alone to tell his aunt the news. He entered the little house with a sober face.

 

"I see you bring bad news, Benjamin," said Mrs. Bradford mournfully.

 

"You will have to leave the house, Aunt Jane."

 

"And go to the poorhouse! I knew it would turn out that way," and Mrs. Bradford put her handkerchief to her eyes.

 

"What's the matter?" asked Tony.

 

"My poor child," said his mother, "we are going to the poorhouse."

 

"Is that so, Ben?" asked Tony soberly.

 

Ben shouted with laughter. He could not hold back the truth.

 

"Aunt Jane," he said, "you always will anticipate the worst. Why don't you wait and hope?"

 

"What is the use, Benjamin?"

 

"Because it makes us happier, and often brings good fortune. Aunt Jane, you see before you a rich man."

 

"You're only a boy," said Tony. "You ain't a man at all."

 

"My income is a thousand dollars a year!"

 

"Is it possible, Benjamin?" ejaculated Mrs. Bradford, in amazement³.

 

"It is more than that; it's true. You are coming to Boston to live, and I am going to board with you."

 

"The boy's crazy!" exclaimed Mrs. Bradford.

 

"Then there is a method in my madness, Aunt Jane. But I won't keep you in suspense⁴ any longer. Uncle Matthew isn't dead at all. He's taken a fancy to me, and is going to allow me an income of a thousand dollars a year. He will take care of you and Tony, too. He is going to hire or buy a house in Boston, and we are all going to live together. What do you say to that? Will you go, or do you prefer to go to the poorhouse?"

 

Mrs. Bradford made up her mind at once to go to Boston. No one had ever seen her so cheerful as she was for the remainder of the day.

 

Not to dwell upon details, in less than a month the little family was installed in a comfortable house in Boston. Tony had commenced attending school near-by, and Ben had been admitted to the Latin School, where he began to prepare for college in earnest. Porter & Jones were sorry to lose him, but agreed that he had chosen wisely in abandoning business for a school.

 

Ben is now an undergraduate at Harvard College, with a high rank for scholarship. He has not decided⁵ upon his future course; but it is possible that his uncle may purchase an interest for him, at graduation, in the firm where he served as a boy.

 

I cannot close without recording⁶, with satisfaction, the great improvement that has taken place in Sam Archer⁷. Always a bright and smart boy, in adversity he has gotten rid of his disagreeable traits and developed a business capacity which promises well for his future success. Ben has done him many favors, and the two are excellent friends. Of Mr. Archer nothing has been heard. It is rumored⁸ that he is living in an obscure town in France, on the proceeds of his defalcation⁹. Sam promises to redeem¹⁰ the name which his father has sullied.

 

Uncle Matthew is several years older than when we first met him, but happiness has had the effect of making him look younger. He probably has several years of life yet before him. He is attached to his niece and Tony, who is now a bright schoolboy of twelve; but his chief attachment¹¹ is to Ben, whose college career he follows with pride and satisfaction.

 

 

THE END

1 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

2 anticipations   

预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物

参考例句：

• The thought took a deal of the spirit out of his anticipations. 想到这，他的劲头消了不少。
• All such bright anticipations were cruelly dashed that night. 所有这些美好的期望全在那天夜晚被无情地粉碎了。

3 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

4 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

7 archer   

n.射手，弓箭手

参考例句：

• The archer strung his bow and aimed an arrow at the target.弓箭手拉紧弓弦将箭瞄准靶子。
• The archer's shot was a perfect bull's-eye.射手的那一箭正中靶心。

8 rumored   

adj.传说的，谣传的v.传闻( rumor的过去式和过去分词 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• It is rumored that he cheats on his wife. 据传他对他老婆不忠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was rumored that the white officer had been a Swede. 传说那个白人军官是个瑞典人。 来自辞典例句

9 defalcation   

n.盗用公款，挪用公款，贪污

参考例句：

• Scientific Definition of \"Defalcation Without Return\" and \"Defalcation Turning to Embezzlement \" 科学界定“挪用公款不退还”与“挪用转化为贪污” 来自互联网
• The bank lost money by the defalcation of the cashier. 银行因出纳员挪用公款而受到金钱损失。 来自互联网

10 redeem   

v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等）

参考例句：

• He had no way to redeem his furniture out of pawn.他无法赎回典当的家具。
• The eyes redeem the face from ugliness.这双眼睛弥补了他其貌不扬之缺陷。

11 attachment   

n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附

参考例句：

• She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。
• She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。